Concealed Handgun Permits and Handgun Purchases
Concealed Handgun permits have risen across the country over the last four years. Today in the United States there are over 19.5 Million people that have a permit to carry firearms concealed. That is more than 34% higher than 2016.
Since March of 2020 more than 7.4 Million handguns have been purchased, and ammunition is hard to find. Americans are taking their personal protection more serious than ever. As we look deeper into some of the states, we are seeing interesting trends relating to firearms and concealed carry among citizens.
States with the Highest Concealed Handgun Permit Holders
Florida has the highest number of concealed permit holders in country with over 2.2 Million Floridians legally carrying. That is over 10% of the population of Florida that is legally armed.
Alabama has the highest percentage of population that has a concealed carry permit with over 20% of residents licensed to carry.
Other States have over a million permit holders and they are: Texas, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
States with the Least Concealed Handgun Permit Holders
Hawaii has the lowest number of permit holders that we can find. Our research shows less than 100 permits (mostly for armed security).
The next state with the lowest concealed permit holders in the country is New Jersey. The Garden State has only 1,000 residents that can legally carry a firearm; that is 0.01% of the population.
States in the Middle Concealed Handgun Permit Holders
Ten States have more than 10% of its population with concealed permits. Alabama leads the way, followed by Utah, South Dakota, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Kentucky, and Tennessee. On average across the country over 7.5% of Americans (adults) have a carry permit.
There are 15 States that no longer require a permit to carry a firearm concealed (constitutional carry) throughout the state. These states include Arizona, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming, Maine, Kansas, West Virginia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. The number of permit holders in these states is declining only because there are no records of people applying for permits due to constitutional carry.
Concealed Carry Demographics are Changing
Women who carry now make up over 25% or more of the concealed carriers. There are classes now for women only, along with a rise in female instructors and markets that cater specifically to women. In states that provided information regarding gender, it’s been found that the number of women who have permits grew over 101% faster than men during the last eight years.
Other interesting trends have shown that from 2015-2020 African Americans who have permits has increased over 55% of that of White Americans, and the fastest growing population is Asian-Americans which is growing more than 62% higher than White Americans. This comes from states that collect data regarding race of permit holders.
More Americans are take their Personal Protection More Seriously
The desire for law-abiding Americans to protect themselves is rising, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. As Americans take their personal protection more seriously, we have seen gun sales reach record highs. Accessories for firearms have reached new level highs, ammunition is hard to find, and training is at a high demand. More Americans across the board are deciding protection of their home and persons are their responsibility and are taking the steps to ensure they are safe.
